Producers with hoggets to sell are trading into an increasingly challenging market. Base quotes have been pulled from 20c/kg to 30c/kg on last week’s level.

Official quotes unfortunately remain scarce in the quotes table. The two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants in Camolin and Navan are quoting a base of €8/kg plus their 20c/kg quality assurance payment. The only other quote is Ballon Meats’ all-in quote of €8.50/kg.

Reports indicate plants not officially quoting are trying to open negotiations in the region of €8.20/kg to €8.30/kg for quality assured (QA) sheep.

There are still sheep being traded at €8.40/kg to €8.60/kg, but many of these are for deals done earlier in the week or with specialist finishers for choice lots.

Some factories are also imposing cuts of upwards of 50c/kg or price caps for hoggets weighing in excess of 25kg to 27kg and reports indicate hoggets are being checked to see if they have teeth set.

Agents are also, in cases, digging their heels in on carcase weight payment limits at 23kg, with fewer reports of 23.5kg carcase weight, or higher, being sanctioned.

Hoggets continue to dominate throughput, with lamb numbers slower to build. Last week’s kill included 24,929 hoggets, 8,933 lambs and just 2,600 ewes. Hogget throughput is on a par with the corresponding period in 2024, but lamb throughput is running 2,734 head lower than the corresponding week and ewes and rams 1,559 head lower.

The trade for lambs is unchanged, with base quotes in the region of €9/kg to €9.10/kg and opening prices for QA lambs starting in the region of €9.20/kg.

There is some variation in top prices being paid. Some groups and regular sellers are securing returns of €9.30/kg, while, at the top end of the market, prices of €9.40/kg to €9.50/kg have been paid.

Reports indicate these top prices have been harder to secure as the week has gone on.

Factory ewe prices remain firm, with the majority of plants opening negotiations at a price of €5.50/kg to €5.60/kg and willing to pay €5.70/kg for significant numbers.

Plants and abattoirs specialising in the ewe trade are quoting €5.80/kg for ewes delivered to their specification, while top prices are reported at €5.90/kg to €6/kg-plus.

Northern trade

There is also pressure on the hogget trade in factories in Northern Ireland.

Base quotes for Thursday of £6.60/kg (€7.83/kg) are down 10p/kg on the week. Quotes for lambs are steady at £7.30/kg, with numbers also tight.

Regular sellers and groups are being paid 10p/kg to 20p/kg above quotes. The live trade has been boosted in a couple of big sheep sales again, with the presence of buyers from Britain. A total of 439 sheep were exported to Britain last week for direct slaughter. The number of sheep exported to Ireland for direct slaughter fell by over 2,000 head to 3,864.